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Joanna Trevelyan
"People have told me that the renegade templars are a disgrace to the Order—and maybe they are—but there are so many of them. Is the problem with them… or is it with the Order that I am sworn to uphold and protect? … I took a vow to the Order. Several vows. I won't leave it behind just because of the state that it's in now." Joanna Trevelyan (born 16 Kingsway 9:13 Dragon) is the present Knight-Commander of the Starkhaven Circle of Magi and former Inquisitor of the Second Inquisition, additionally styled the Herald of Andraste. Born in Ostwick the youngest child of House Trevelyan, Joanna was given to the Chantry to train as a templar at the age of twelve and subsequently joined the Order at eighteen. Her early career was spent at the Ostwick Circle, where she rose to the rank of Knight-Lieutenant, and which eventually fell following the outbreak of the mage–templar war. After escaping the chaos, she returned to Ostwick, where she remained in the chantry until the calling of the Conclave, which she attended along with her sister and brother, cousins, and many of her old colleagues. Joanna was left the only survivor of the explosion at the Conclave and the opening of the Breach, and due to the mark on her hand that allowed her to close the rifts, she had much influence in the reformed Inquisition from the beginning. This culminated in her being named Inquisitor following the Siege of Haven, after which point she led the Inquisition to many victories, including at Adamant Fortress, the Temple of Mythal, and against Corypheus. Under her leadership, the Inquisition was dedicated to reformation and repair and allied with the templars and Grey Wardens in order to give them a chance to make up for their mistakes. Following the events of the Exalted Council in 9:44 Dragon, which saw her disband the Inquisition and remove her left forearm due to the damage the Anchor had caused it, Joanna returned to the templars. She was posted to the rebuilt Starkhaven Circle of Magi as its new Knight-Commander, and since then has been instrumental in restoring the templars' reputation and turning her Circle into an example of everything Circles were meant to be. As such, though Joanna is no longer Inquisitor, she remains an influential figure, and many suspect she will one day become Knight-Vigilant of the Order. Overview Basic Information Full Name: Joanna Trevelyan Nickname(s): Joa (siblings), Templar (Varric) Alias(es): None Occupation: Knight-Commander of the Starkhaven Circle of Magi, Herald of Andraste, Inquisitor (formerly) Age: 31 as of Haring, 9:44 Dragon Date of Birth: Kingsway 16, 9:13 Dragon Nationality: Free Marcher (Ostwician) Orientation: Heterosexual Libido: Above average Religion: Andrastianism Threat Level: 9/10. Joanna is a very aggressive opponent who is quite capable of taking a great deal of damage and showing no signs of it, and despite her generally attack-focused fighting style, she is more than capable of defending herself as well. As she wears full plate, it is not easy for arrows to pierce her armour, and another warrior would need a weapon such as a maul in order to do any real damage to her. A mage just might be able to cast their spells on her from a distance, but as a templar who is very good at her job and at spotting threats before they appear, in all likelihood, Joanna will nullify their magic first, rendering her target largely helpless before she moves in for the kill. Even with one arm, Joanna remains a difficult opponent, one not taken on without preparation and an attempt at getting the drop on her. World State: Playthrough 1 ('Human') Physical Information Face Claim: Hannah New Voice: Sumalee Montano Height: 5'8" / 1.72 m Eye Colour: Green Hair Colour + Style: Blonde, short, straight, messy pixie cut Dominant Hand: Right Body Type: Muscular, straight, barrel-chested Distinguishing Features: Facial scarring, muscles Accent + Intensity: Ostwician, moderate Tattoo(s): None Scar(s): Scars on the right side of her face Piercing(s): None Glasses? No 'Background Information' Hometown: Ostwick, the Free Marches Current Residence: Starkhaven Circle of Magi Language(s): Common, Ancient Tevene (knowledgeable) Social Class: Nobility Education: Given a standard noble's education as a child in Ostwick, learning religion, history, politics, etc. from her family's tutors and the basics of combat from her father and uncle and the instructors they brought in. Received a more extensive education in combat, religion, and the arcane as part of her templar training, and continued to refine her knowledge after becoming a templar. Picked up knowledge of Ancient Tevene through her own research. Family: See below Romanced: Cullen Rutherford Pet(s): Cullen's mabari Adopted? No Rap Sheet: None Prison Time: None Personality Information MBTI/Jung Type: ENTJ "Commander" Archetype: The Hero Enneagram: Challenger Moral Alignment: Lawful Good T'emperament:' Sanguine Angered By: Misuse and abuse of power, arrogance, being accused of crimes she didn't commit or blamed for something someone else did, politicking, the concept of using ends to justify the means Intelligence Type: Bodily-kinaesthetic Neurodivergence(s): N/A At Risk: Her somewhat volatile temper, brashness, bluntness, and generally aggressive, hot-blooded ways often have a deleterious effect on her relationships, as while a good person, she can be quite difficult to be around. She also eventually becomes somewhat overly assured of the rightness of her actions, making her self-righteous, a dangerous trait in a templar and one only her self-awareness and desire to be everything a templar should be keep in check. Vices and Habits Smokes? No Drinks? Yes Drugs? No Violent? When she needs to be, but she is fairly easily provoked. Addictions? Lyrium Self-Destructive? No Habit(s): Taking the most direct and immediate paths regardless of the danger, climbing up high places when she needs a break, engaging in black comedy to ease tension Hobbies: Doing parkour-like stunts around Skyhold, researching magic and ancient Tevinter, sparring Likes: Being active and constantly on the go, her templar abilities, black and toilet humour, having the chance to make the world better, astrariums, nobles who don't beat about the bush Dislikes: False accusations, the templars who tarnish the Order's good name, politicking, flattery, sitting still for too long Tic(s): None Obsession(s): None Compulsion(s): None Miscellaneous Information House: Gryffindor / Wampus Zodiac: Judex Vice: Wrath Virtue: Humility Element: Fire Mythological Creature: Sphinx Animal: Lion Mutation: None Biography History Born the youngest child of House Trevelyan of Ostwick, Joanna was always expected to pursue a career in the Chantry, and much of her early life was spent preparing her for this. Unlike her sister and cousins Helena and Isolda, however, Joanna had no interest in becoming a priestess. Martially inclined and a talented fighter from a young age, and brash, crude, crass, and reckless by nature, she preferred to become a templar like her brother Gervase and other cousin, Thomas. While her highly masculine behaviour consternated her mother, who often felt as if she had three sons rather than two, Joanna's wish was eventually granted, and at twelve years old, she commenced her training as a templar. She did well enough in her training and made friends with several of her fellow recruits, including a boy named Arron, who would eventually become closer to her than almost anyone. At eighteen, Joanna underwent the final vigil, took her vows, and was subsequently assigned to Ostwick Circle, alongside Arron. At the Circle, Joanna quickly proved herself to be an exemplary templar, one who knew how to temper duty with mercy, who aspired to protect the mages as much as she did the common people, and who generally held to the highest ideals of the Order. For years, things remained quiet, and she was content with her lot, befriending more of her colleagues and a few of the mages and eventually reaching the rank of Knight-Lieutenant. The outbreak of the mage–templar war would change everything, however. The assignment of a new, sterner Knight-Commander to Ostwick Circle caused tensions to skyrocket between the mages and the templars, and acts of rebellion by the one side and abuses by the other became increasingly commonplace. Joanna and her associates did their best to keep the peace, and for a while, it did seem as if things would turn out all right, but there was ultimately only so much that they could do, and the end came not long after the formal dissolution of the Circles. While most of the mages of Ostwick Circle were content to stay and try to keep the peace, there were naturally those who sought independence for all, and it was one of these people who brought about what happened next. A month after the Circles were dissolved, one of the enchanters of Ostwick Circle murdered a young apprentice—who was only a boy—and pinned the blame for the deed on Arron. Both sides massively overreacted, with many of the mages snapping at what looked like this egregious, unforgivable abuse perpetuated by a templar and the templars resorting to extreme, desperate measures to restore order. In the end, the Knight-Commander called for the annulment of the Circle, and chaos erupted as the mages attempted to defend themselves. There were huge casualties on both sides, and as Ostwick Circle fell, it was all that Joanna and Arron could do to escape with their lives. But escape they did, and they made their way back to Ostwick, where they were reassigned to the chantry. Though she had survived, the entire experience left Joanna greatly soured on both the mage rebellion and the Templar Order, and her disillusionment only worsened as time passed and the war continued to drag on. At the same time, she became increasingly unsure which side was more in the right. On the one hand, the mages' anger at their poor treatment was entirely justified, but their behaviour was doing very little to assuage the common fears about mages and magic that had led to the formation of the Circles in the first place. On the other hand, the templars were also right to be upset by the Chantry's manipulation of them, and they had a duty trying to protect the mages and the common people from the very real dangers of magic, but their behaviour was also doing little to put the mages' minds at ease, to say the least. Though she remained loyal to the Order, Joanna's doubts continued to get worse until she began to wonder if it was truly beyond redemption, and the fact that she couldn't think of a viable alternative to the broken system hardly helped. Ultimately, when the Conclave was called, Joanna eagerly agreed to go, wanting to help with the rebuilding and to try to redeem the Order. She did not know, could not know, just how much of a hand she would end up having in said rebuilding and redemption. In-game Afterwards As it turned out, Joanna's years as the Inquisitor would be among the best in her life. It was as the Inquisitor that she found new friends and even love, and it was as the Inquisitor that she got the chance to avenge her loved ones who died at the Conclave, to make the changes in the world that she wanted to see, and to restore and redeem the Templar Order, as well as the Grey Wardens and the Seekers of Truth. But all good things must come to an end, and Joanna had never had any desire to see the Inquisition last forever. From the beginning of the Exalted Council, she planned to disband it, believing that it had outlived its purpose—as the Grey Wardens and templars had not—and her plans were only solidified with the revelations of the organisation's corruption and complacency. After paying the price for the Anchor by chopping off her own forearm, Joanna announced the Inquisition's disbandment, and as soon as her recovery was complete and she was back home in Ostwick with her new husband, she threw herself into learning how to fight one-handed. Her faith in the templars having been restored, she intended to return to them and keep them on their corrected path—which she did as soon as she was able to, ultimately being appointed Knight-Commander of the rebuilt Starkhaven Circle of Magi. Joanna thrived as a Knight-Commander, just as she had thrived as the Inquisitor, and under her leadership, the Starkhaven Circle set the example for all other Circles to follow, becoming just about everything that a Circle could and should be. But while she was doing excellently in her career, she was not doing so well in her personal life. Between leading a Circle in the Free Marches and preparing to hunt down and deal with Solas one day, Joanna found that she often didn't have much time to go to Ferelden to be with Cullen, who was now running a sanctuary for retired templars. Between this, her continuing insistence on remaining with the Order and refusal to stop taking lyrium, and the fact that she didn't want children while Cullen did—among many other things, for without the Inquisition, they had very little in common anymore—Joanna and Cullen's marriage ended up suffering and coming under severe strain. Still, they keep trying. If the Inquisition had proved anything, it was that things could always be better—and when the time comes for them to deal with Solas, they will stand together. Beyond that time, perhaps things will improve, but as it stands now, they can only wait and see. Relationships * Blackwall: Blackwall and Joanna become fast friends after they meet, both having nothing but admiration and respect for the other. Joanna sees Blackwall as a man of action who believes in doing the right thing and holds to the highest ideals of the Wardens, which is what she has always hoped to be herself. She also respects his generally calm, staid ways, especially when everyone else seems to be going insane, and generally appreciates having such a reliable soldier in her inner circle. Blackwall admires Joanna for similar reasons, appreciating her dedication to doing the right thing and holding to the highest ideals of the templars, and he soon comes to see her as another exemplar to which he should also aspire. After Revelations, Joanna is colder to Blackwall for some time, but he soon wins back her friendship with his genuine guilt and efforts to atone, and she ultimately becomes willing to confess her own guilt and regrets to him, which is what solidifies their friendship. * Cassandra: Cassandra and Joanna initially have a very poor relationship due to Cassandra accusing Joanna of causing the explosion that had claimed the lives of half Joanna's family and most of her friends; Joanna is understandably very angry about this. Once she lets go of her anger, however, their relationship quickly improves, as they are able to commiserate over their mutual shared faith, the crises of faith they've experienced, and the concerns they have over the state of the Templar Order and the Seekers of Truth. They also both respect each other as women of strength and determination, and Joanna additionally agrees strongly with Cassandra's vision for the Chantry. As such, they both serve as important allies to each other, Cassandra to Joanna when she is Inquisitor, and Joanna to Cassandra when she becomes Divine. * Cole: Cole and Joanna get off on the wrong foot, as they meet inside Joanna's head, and Joanna's ingrained distrust of spirits causes her to be immediately wary of him. Afterwards, though she tries to keep an open mind, she is extremely uncomfortable with how Cole can look into people's heads and erase their memories of encountering him, and while she encourages him to help people and keep to his nature as a spirit, she keeps her distance from him. Cole, meanwhile, is unsure of her due to her being a templar whose nature is often very pragmatic, but he does come to understand that she is trying to help people, in her own way, and as a result, he warms up to her a great deal. After she helps him become more spirit-like, they become genuine friends, though again, they never get as close as she gets to some of her other companions. * Cullen: Cullen and Joanna are able to almost immediately connect due to their similar backgrounds and opinions on the state of the Templar Order, as well as the fact that they're both soldiers at heart, with a strong dislike for politics. Their ability to commiserate with each other allows them to become quite close quite quickly and eventually forms the foundation for their romantic relationship, which is mostly based around them sharing their doubts and fears with and supporting each other. Joanna helps Cullen through his lyrium withdrawal, while he helps her make sense of everything that's happening and come to terms with both her regret for what happened in the past and the guilt she feels for some of her decisions, notably sacrificing Hawke in the Fade. By the end, they have a very strong and loving relationship, but Joanna's return to the templars, dedication to her work, unwillingness to have children and their lack of things in common after the end of the Inquisition threatens to pull this relationship apart. * Dorian: Dorian and Joanna don't initially get along well, as Joanna is very distrustful of Dorian for being a high-class, egotistical Tevinter getting involved in southern chaos (the fact that he calls southerners 'barbarians' for using the terms mage and magister interchangeably does not help), while Dorian sees her as a typical southern barbarian with an unnecessarily crude attitude and a typically southern distrust of magic. However, these first impressions are quickly challenged, with Joanna realising that he is genuinely different from his countrymen and wants to help, while Dorian sees that her views on magic are more complicated than he'd realised and she is actually quite introspective and knowledgeable. They soon grow to be great friends, admiring each other's willingness to do the right thing and desire to redeem and restore their nation or organisation. While they remain opposed on some points, and their personalities clash in some regards, they generally get on like a house on fire, and at the end, Joanna is saddened when Dorian returns to Tevinter for good, though she knows why he must do it. * Iron Bull: Iron Bull and Joanna have quite a good friendship, or at least, Joanna thinks they have a good friendship. Though she's initially wary of Bull due to the Free Marches' recent history with the Qunari and his admittance that he's a Ben-Hassrath spy, she's also willing to give him a chance, and she soon comes to value his and his people's contributions to the organisation. Seeing his perceptiveness and connection to the Chargers help her become more at ease around him, and she is also able to relate to his experiences in Seheron with the constant fighting and his doubts over whether he belongs to the Qun or not, given her own doubts about the templars. Bull, meanwhile, respects Joanna as a straight-shooter sort of person and fellow warrior, and he appreciates her caution of magic and willingness to ally with the Qun, get to know her soldiers, and hit him with a big stick when he needs it. As such, they ultimately become good friends—or so Joanna thinks. Perhaps it is genuine, or perhaps it is not; after what happens in Trespasser, that question haunts her ever after. * Josephine: Josephine and Joanna never get particularly close, though they do respect each other. Joanna mainly sees Josephine as a decent political operator, friendly and respectable enough, and is content to leave her be and let her do her job. (Privately, she can't get past how garish and tacky the woman's outfit is.) Josephine, meanwhile, sees Joanna as a quintessential soldier, and she wishes she would both be less hot-tempered and brash and spare more time for politics and diplomacy—it would make her job easier. Seeing Joanna in action at the Winter Palace leads her to realise Joanna does understand politics more than she lets on, but that just makes her wish she would put that knowledge to use more often. Ultimately, they end up as friends, but not close ones. * Leliana: Leliana and Joanna have a distant relationship due to Leliana's hardened, ruthless nature, which Joanna dislikes. Unfortunately, while Joanna attempts to inspire and soften Leliana, she fails, and Leliana thus remains cold and merciless, causing Joanna to keep her distance from her and attempt to kerb the worst of her ruthlessness. Leliana, meanwhile, sees Joanna as a hypocrite for tolerating some of her actions, such as executing others, and not traitors, though she respects her for her strength of character, decisive nature, and the fact that her faith has seemingly remained unshaken despite everything. * Sera: Sera and Joanna get along decently and respect each other well enough, but they still disagree strongly enough over each other's philosophies that they never get really close. Sera respects Joanna as a woman of action who is willing to look out for the little people and has no more patience for her fellow nobles than she does, but she also thinks that she's too high-minded and idealistic, too focused on the big ideas and redeeming whole organisations when she could be focusing more on the little people. Joanna, meanwhile, sees Sera as both fun-loving and troublesome, and she becomes increasingly tired over time of how immature, petty, and close-minded Sera can be, and she holds her organisation in some contempt for its methods and complete lack of a long-term goal. They're both brash and crude enough to get along well and become friends, but that's about all that can be said for them. * Solas: Though Joanna has a positive first impression of Solas, being impressed by his knowledge, grateful for his help with the Anchor, and glad that he's chosen to stay and help, their relationship is a turbulent one. Joanna is a templar, after all, and her views on spirits and demons and the nature of magic are more or less the diametric opposite of Solas'; consequently, they tend to argue quite frequently. That Joanna is willing to listen and debate with him convinces Solas that she is not totally close-minded, but he still dislikes the part she plays in the Circle system and how she wants to redeem said system, no matter what improvements she wants to make to it. Joanna, meanwhile, sees Solas as a snob and something of a backwards conservative, none of which she likes. They do eventually become friends, but their relationship always remains shaky. * Varric: Varric and Joanna have a decent relationship, quickly growing to respect and befriend each other after they meet. Joanna appreciates Varric's easy humour and honest willingness to stay and help out (and is also a fan of his books), while Varric likes Joanna's dedication to doing the right thing and being a hero. That being said, they never become particularly close, largely due to Joanna's sacrifice of Hawke in the Fade. Initially, she's angry with Varric for dragging Hawke along and not predicting how badly he would react to the news of Corypheus' survival, but guilt for her actions soon overwhelms this anger. In her guilt, she distances herself from Varric and can never bring herself to tell him she sacrificed Hawke, and the fact that Varric continues to respect her even through his grief only makes her feel worse. Varric, meanwhile, never works out why she distances herself from him, but he doesn't question it, instead appreciating her friendship in the face of Hawke's loss. * Vivienne: Vivienne and Joanna get along very well, thanks to their somewhat similar backgrounds and their shared (mostly) opinions on the Circle of Magi. Both respect each other as women of great character who get things done, and while their personalities are extremely different, Vivienne still admires her for her dedication to doing the right thing, redeeming the templars, and improving the Circles, and she greatly respects her actions, mostly. Joanna admires Vivienne's strength of character and discipline, and over time, it gladdens her to see how Vivienne does care for her fellow mages, even if she doesn't show it. Their biggest disagreement is over the nature of the Grand Game, which Vivienne revels in and Joanna loathes, but as their relationship is mostly so strong in other respects, they have an unspoken agreement not to discuss it if they can avoid it. Family * Rowland Trevelyan (father, Bann of Ostwick) * Genevieve Penhaligon (mother, Lady of Ostwick) * Owen Trevelyan (brother, Lord of Ostwick) * Lillian Trevelyan (sister, priestess, mother, killed in the Conclave explosion) * Gervase Trevelyan (brother, templar, Knight-Lieutenant, killed in the Conclave explosion) * Cullen Rutherford (husband, former commander of the Inquisition's forces and Knight-Commander of Kirkwall) * Rensselaer Trevelyan (p. uncle, Lord of Ostwick) * Madelaine Nancarrow (p. aunt-by-marriage, Lady of Ostwick) * Helena Trevelyan (cousin, priestess, mother, killed in the Conclave explosion) * Isolda Trevelyan (cousin, priestess, sister, killed in the Conclave explosion) * Thomas Trevelyan (cousin, templar, Knight-Captain, killed in the Conclave explosion) * Richeldis Trevelyan (p. aunt, priestess, revered mother) * Elestren Penhaligon (cousin, Princess of Starkhaven) * Arthur Vael (first cousin once removed, Prince of Starkhaven, born in 9:45 Dragon) * Alys Everill (sister-in-law, Lady of Ostwick) * Edmund Trevelyan (nephew, Lord of Ostwick, born in 9:33 Dragon) * Melisent Trevelyan (niece, Lady of Ostwick, born in 9:37 Dragon) * Osric Trevelyan (nephew, Lord of Ostwick, born in 9:40 Dragon) * Audrea Trevelyan (niece, Lady of Ostwick, born in 9:43 Dragon) * Nicolas Trevelyan (nephew, Lord of Ostwick, born in 9:43 Dragon) * Mia Rutherford (sister-in-law) * Branson Rutherford (brother-in-law) * Rosalie Rutherford (sister-in-law) Quotes "Confusion will be my epitaph As I crawl a cracked and broken path. If we can make it, we can all sit back and laugh. But I fear tomorrow, I'll be crying." — King Crimson, Epitaph * (upon seeing the Breach during The Wrath of Heaven) "Andraste's arse…" * (to Solas after the prologue) "I didn't ask for this… but someone has to find a way to seal this Breach." * (to Leliana after the prologue) "Maybe it's not about how good He is, but how good we are. Maybe it's about what we do in the wake of this crisis, that proves ourselves to Him and redeems us for our sins. Maybe what you did still means something, even if it ended like this. And maybe you have another purpose. I could help you find it." * (to Corypheus during the Siege of Haven) "Your arrogance blinds you. Good to know. If I'm dying… it's not today!" * (during the coronation ceremony at Skyhold) "I will restore what Corypheus could never destroy. I am but a servant of the Light. The Inquisition belongs to the faithful." * (during the final battle with Corypheus) "I'm the Maker's chosen." * (final speech to the Exalted Council) "You all know what this is. A writ from Divine Justinia authorising the formation of the Inquisition. We pledged to close the Breach, find those responsible, and restore order. With or without anyone's approval. We have fulfilled that pledge. And now the war is over, for most of us. It is time for our soldiers to sheathe their swords and go home. To all who served: thank you. It has been an honour." Dialogue (to Leliana and Cassandra during The Threat Remains) * Joanna: If you're really trying to restore order… * Leliana: That is the plan. * Joanna: Then it's my duty as one of the Chantry's last remaining loyal templars to help. ─────── (at the end of Champions of the Just) * Joanna: There was corruption here. But also I see valour, and honour in each of you who stood fast. Rise tall again. Help the Inquisition seal the Breach before it swallows us all. * Barris: You speak truths we should never have ignored. But the Order—''our'' Order—is leaderless, gutted by betrayal. We must rebuild it. * Joanna: Our Order is a symbol that holds the people's respect. That cannot die today. ─────── (at Skyhold) * Dorian: No one will thank me, whatever happens. No one will thank you, either. You know that, yes? * Joanna: That's not why I'm doing this. I don't need people's thanks to know I'm doing the right thing. 'See Also' Reddit * Dinner with the templars and words she lives by * Words on her gravestone in the Fade and face claim * Tropes * Developing relationships with companions * Thoughts about her old life * Journey theme and first kill * Expressing affection Non-Reddit * Tumblr wiki page * Tumblr tag * Character Sheet * Family Tree * Hero of Thedas * The Ridiculously Detailed Inquisitor Questionnaire That No One Needed AO3 * The Templar Inquisitor (series) Gallery Joanna Gallery 1.png|Joanna in the prologue Joanna Gallery 2.png|Joanna speaking to Dorian Joanna Gallery 3.png|Joanna at Adamant Fortress Joanna Gallery 4.png|Joanna sacrificing Hawke in the Fade Joanna Gallery 5.png|Joanna at the Temple of Mythal Joanna Gallery 6.png|Joanna confronting Solas Category:Inquisitor Category:Human Category:Warrior Category:Templar Category:Trevelyan Category:Cullen Romance Category:Eclipse3000